There are several Facebook pages and websites where people continue to harass me and make unfounded accusations. Here is one page that finally has it right.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

A Question of DNA

The narrative goes as this: Three men claiming to be wrongfully
convicted have DNA tests run on the evidence in their case. The evidence
doesn’t match to any of the them, but a single hair matched to a
step-father of one of the victims is located. So this must mean these
men are innocent? Not true, the answer is surprisingly not as simple as
it would seem, and far more complicated. Despite that it has been all
too often claimed that the DNA testings proved them innocent, it didn’t
actually exclude them.

The natural question one may ask is, how it is that it didn’t exclude
them? To answer this question, it first must be understood the
situation at the crime scene, and how evidence was collected. The bodies
had been submerged in the water, destroying precious DNA and blood
evidence that may have been located at the scene. A possible semen stain
which had been located on the pants of one victim, was more or less
ruined from being in the water over night. This would make it much
harder to find any physical evidence, as the submersion of the bodies,
naturally washed away evidence.

Next one must consider how the bodies were recovered.

When the victims were recovered, the police had to enter the ditch
where the bodies were located, and rifle around in the water, digging
out clothing, as well as touching the bodies. This cross contaminated
them, introducing hair and fibers to the scene which hadn’t previously
been there before, which is surprisingly all too common in criminal
investigations.

In the book “Bodies We’ve Buried” by Jarrett Hallcox and Amy
Welch, it’s remarked upon, some of the items investigators accidentally
introduce to the scene. One of which is even cigarette butts.

“…as much as 30 percent of all cigarette butts found at crime
scenes are not left by the perpatrator, as one might assume, but by
someone who actually processed the scene. It’s a little disconcerting to
think that so much time and money is wasted on a potential suspect,
only to find out that “suspect” is the chief officer.”

The book also states the following…

“If you ask any CSI what the biggest problem they face in the
field is, they will almost always say crime scene contamination.
Contamination of the scene can not only mislead the investigation, it
can also be a defense attorney’s dream come true.”

One can see from the photos that they were up to their waist at times.
The clothing would then be collected and set on the nearby ditch bank picking up anything that may have been there as well.
Here one can actually see items floating around in the water unrelated to the crime, further contaminating evidence.

There had been garbage and debris through-out. A simple fact was that
there had been hair and fibers at the scene which may not have been
from the killer(s).

Adding to this, anything from the home of the victims had
additionally been introduced to the crime scene. Hair and fibers from
their home environment could have been stuck to their clothing that day,
further complicating the matter.

Now according to Lisa Sakevicius in her courtroom testimony, Stevie Branch was tied with two different shoe laces.

20 Q. On Exhibit 81 — if you would refer to that exhibit. 21 A. That is from Steve Branch. 22 Q. What were your findings as to the knots on Exhibit 81? 23 A. Examination of the ligatures revealed a black shoestring on 24 the right side tied in three half hitches with an extra loop 25 around the leg to a single half hitch with a figure eight around 1509 1 the right wrist. The left side consisted of a white shoestring 2 tied in three half hitches around the wrist to three half 3 hitches around the leg. 4 Q. So on the left side on the wrist you had three half 5 hitches? 6 A. Correct. 7 Q. And on the ankle you had three half hitches? 8 A. Correct. 9 Q. On the right side on the leg you had three half hitches 10 with what? 11 A. An extra loop around the right leg. 12 Q. On the wrist you had? 13 A. A figure eight. 14 Q. With one half hitch. Is that right? 15 A. Yes, sir.

Now, the
hair connected to Terry was located on a shoe lace used to bind Michael
Moore, but as seen by the above testimony, Stevie was tied up with two
different laces. This means that the lace used to bind Michael could
have been Stevie’s. All this means then, is that the DNA test only
proves that Terry Hobbs had been in the same home as Stevie, since he
was his Step-Dad. It doesn’t actually connect him to the crime. And even
if it were Michael’s shoe lace it would still be the same, since both
boys were best friends, and often played in each other’s houses. All
that can be really said about the hair is that it’s secondary transfer,
and was like brought to the scene by the victims.

Next it should be considered that DNA was a new thing at the time,
and evidence wasn’t collected as well back 1993 as it would be today.
Even in this age of CSI expectations when it comes to evidence, it can
still be difficult to find the offender’s DNA. A prime example would be
the Noura Jackson case. Jackson, had murdered her mother in 2005. At the
scene despite blood being everywhere and the fact that Noura cut
herself during the crime, not a single speck of her blood or DNA was
located that could prove she killed her mother. There was DNA found, but
it didn’t match Noura. There was also a hair, which again didn’t seem
to match Noura. There was also no blood in Noura’s car. She had
seemingly lucked out and left no real physical evidence to tie her to
the crime. What ended up proving that she was the killer, was the fact
that she was caught on surveillance tape buying first aid products to
treat a fresh cut on her hand which was even bleeding in the video.

So, even today, DNA can be tough to link to a criminal.
For years there was confusion over the DNA results in the Boston
Strangler case, with a recent DNA test proving that Albert DeSalvo was
the Strangler, where as a past DNA test concluded he wasn’t the
Strangler.

Quote from an article.

“The discrepancy between the 2001 results and today’s
announced match might come down to the different samples analyzed by the
different labs. “What [the 2013 investigators] have are slides from the
crime scene that have semen on them, presumably from the perpetrator,”
says Foran, whereas his team examined samples taken from Sullivan’s
exhumed corpse. “One thing that confuses me is why they didn’t test
those 15 years ago, because they could have. And we certainly did ask
for them back then.” Add that to the long, long list of questions about
the Boston Strangler case that might never get answered.”

Now over the years the defense team had tried to claim that a hair
found at the crime scene from a black man was proof that their clients
were innocent. They coupled this together with a siting of a black man
at a Bojangles restaurant. This was a black homeless man who had blood
on him and used the women’s restroom on the night of the murder. The man
seemed disoriented and washed up in the bathroom, before leaving.
When this suspect failed, they tried to blame one of the
step-parents. First they accused John Mark Byers, the Step-Father of
Christopher Byers. Years later during a bitter divorce Pam Hicks, the
wife of Terry Hobbs would accuse him of having molested their daughter
in order to win custody of her. When that failed she tried to claim that
Hobbs was the real killer of her son. The defense team soon seized on
this, and pointed out how they had a hair that matched to him at the
crime scene. In truth however there was countless hairs, probably
several from family members of the victims. DNA testing couldn’t even
match some items at the scene to the victims, despite that they had to
have been the source of some of the evidence.
With all this background information laid out, let’s get into the
documents pertaining to the DNA. Now this shows the DNA profiles of both
the victims and the WM3.

Next you have the document from Bode which demonstrates which items
had mixtures. The items are the combined Ligatures from Steve (34AB) and
Michael’s penile swab (5D):
Now It tells where on the charts to look for the mixtures. The locus here is D5S818.

From the information show here pertaining to the ligature, the
results on that locus are 10,11, and 12. The results are in the fifth
column. Now here should only be two numbers, but instead it’s three.

Now going back to the chart that lists the DNA profiles of all victims and the others tested, on the D5S818 locus you have:

Echols is 11,12
Miskelley is 11,12
Baldwin is 9,9
Moore is 9,13
Branch is 10,12
Byers is 11,12

The ligatures’ results for that locus read 10,11, and 12.

This means for that locus, alleles could be present from Echols, Branch, Misskelley, and/or Byers.

From the same ligature, the results for D3S1358 match only Steve out of the six people.

From the same ligature on the locus D13S317, the results read 8 and 11.

Both Branch and Echols have the same results on their known samples for this locus.

On Micheal’s penile swab, the results for the D5S818 locus are 9,12,13 .

Looking at the chart that lists the DNA profiles of all victims and the WM3 as relates to the D5S818 locus:

Echols is 11,12
Misekelley is 11,12
Baldwin is 9,9
Moore is 9,13
Branch is 10,12
Byers is 11,12

All parties have either a 9, 12, or 13 at this locus, so no one can be excluded.

So, as can be seen, the men were not exactly totally and absolutely cleared of this crime by DNA.

They were also further linked to this crime through DNA located on a
necklace belonging to Damien Echols. Blood was found on it that matched
to Echols, along with blood from either Stevie Branch or Jason Baldwin.
The testing at the time couldn’t say for sure if the blood was Stevie’s
or Jason’s, and because of this testing all of the blood samples are
used up.

(Memphis) It’s a murder mystery that’s captivated America for the last twenty years: the West Memphis Three

All these years later, the country is still divided on who murdered those three little boys in Arkansas in 1993.

Many have theories, including one where Terry Hobbs, the step-father
of one of the boys, is the killer. Hobbs hasn’t done a TV interview in
years, but agreed to sit down with WREG’s Sabrina Hall to answer some
questions.

Terry Hobbs says he is a church member, a father, and working man and in no way a killer.

“Everyone has a story and this just happens to be mine,” said Hobbs.

What a story it is.

It’s one that’s sparked documentaries, a handful of books, even a movie that is about to be released.

“With Hollywood actors,” said Hobbs.

“And who is playing your wife?” asked Hall.

“Reese Witherspoon,” laughed Hobbs. “I am happy about that.”

Hobbs can find humor in a story that’s brought him so much pain over
the last twenty years, “There is not a day that goes by, seriously, that
you don`t think about it.”

On May 6, 1993, three boys are found hog-tied and murdered in a ditch
in West Memphis, Arkansas. One of the 8-year-olds is Hobbs’ stepson,
Stevie Branch.

“He would have been a heart breaker if he grew up. Blonde hair, blue eyes,” said Hobbs.

West Memphis police believe the killers to be three teenagers in a
satanic cult: Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley.
Misskelley even confessed to the crime, a confession Hobbs says he
heard because he sat through every day of their trials.

“They are guilty,” said Hobbs. Hobbs says he believes that with all his heart, yet many have a different theory on who killed those boys.

“Terry Wayne Hobbs,” said Mark Byers, a father of one of the victims,
in a previous interview. “I don`t know how much clearer I have to make
it.”

That theory is the premise of the latest documentary “West of Memphis”.

“In the middle of a knot that had been tightened, there was hair
jammed in the middle of that knot,” said a forensic expert in the film.

Forensic experts say DNA evidence ties Hobbs to the crime scene and that neighbors saw him with the boys that night. Hobbs says the hair found could be his, “all those little boys played at our home.” But says the rest of the accusations in the documentary are false.

“So you didn`t even see them that day at all?” asked Hall.

“No,” said Hobbs.

“So why do people say they saw you outside and you were calling them home?” asked Hall.

“Because people can,” said Hobbs. “People can say whatever they want to say. It doesn`t make it true.”

Hobbs says when he got home from work on May 5, 1993, the boys were
already out riding their bikes, he never them saw them again. Yet,
theories keep coming that point to Hobbs as the man behind the murders.

“This is not a theory of who did this, this is evidence,” said an attorney.

Just this March, lawyers for Hobb’s ex-wife, Pam Hicks, and the
father of another victim, Mark Byers, paint a more detailed picture:
that Hobbs killed the boys with three other men after a day of drinking
and smoking pot. Hobbs says the entire story is a complete fabrication.

“There should be a time when you draw the line and you say ‘you don`t cross this line’ and it’s been crossed,” said Hobbs.

Hobbs says he is a victim in the story and has even tried to file
lawsuits against those who’ve said otherwise but says, because he’s seen
as a public figure, lawyers tell him that he doesn’t have a case. In
the end, he says he lives with it, “At some point you’ve got say ‘I got
to keep on going. This thing will beat you down if you let it and I
chose not to let it control my life.”

Hobbs says his ex-wife knows he is innocent, “She knows better.”

But says Hicks, as well Byers, are wrapped-up in a story that’s
turned into an industry, “To me, they`ve all tried to capitalize and
they have turned our tragedy into a money making business .”

He says that business, and Hollywood hype, has set the real killers
free, “Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley. I believe
that with everything inside of me.”

Hobbs says he hopes the three eventually tell the truth one day and
apologize, but until then Hobbs says he has to live with the story that
many people believe.

“Do you wish you had a different story?” asked Hall.

“Well sure,” said Hobbs. “I am as human as anybody else and I don`t like to be portrayed as a bad person because I am not.”

Hobbs says he has considered contacting the makers of the Devil’s
Knot, the movie coming out this year, to find out if they are portraying
him as a bad guy. Instead, he’s decided to be surprised like the rest
of us.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

There was one bright spot among all the news stories about the 20th
anniversary of the deaths of Michael Moore, Christopher Byers and Stevie
Branch.

Thanks to a grassroots effort, the “reading grove” at
Weaver Elementary School memorializing the three second-graders has been
renovated, and 20 yellow rose bushes have been planted around the
gazebo there to mark the 20 years since the boys’ murders.

Work was still under way Wednesday morning, after many delays because of
rain over the last week, with the final touches expected later in the
day.

Earlier Wednesday morning, Weaver Principal Sheila Grissom
had $2,791 in donations toward the $2,884 cost of the landscaping. And
two envelopes were still unopened in her office.

The first
envelope yielded $50 while the second held $31 in cash. “We’re there!”
exulted the principal as she pulled out her calculator. With a total of
$2,872 donated so far, she said, laughing, “I think we can come up with
the other $12.”

That was good news for Mrs. Grissom, who has
had an even busier than usual last few weeks as an unaccustomed media
presence on a number of TV stations and other media outlets.

Last Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the murders of the three
8-year-old Cub Scouts in a formerly wooded area nearby. A full-page ad
in the Evening Times memorialized the boys, and related stories have
continued to play out over television, radio and newspapers.

Prompted by a column and a photo in the Evening Times last month, and
spurred on by initial contributions from area residents, the reading
grove fund was set up to honor the boys by making improvements to their
memorial. Memphis Realtors Michael and Lesia Ford with
Coldwell Banker Heritage Homes organized an effort to repaint the
gazebo in brighter colors, repair damaged benches, add trash receptacles
and cover exposed nails in the ceiling.

“I am so proud to be
from Crittenden County and West Memphis. We read this article in the
paper and then we went over there to take a look at the reading grove,”
said Michael Ford last week about his involvement. “We decided that this
was a project we wanted to be involved in. The outpouring of support
really makes me proud to be a part of this community.”

The
Weaver Reading Grove, constructed in 1994, includes a gazebo, benches
and a memorial stone. The structure continues to be used as a playground
shelter.

The work was done by TC Landscaping in conjunction
with O'Neal Landscaping of West Memphis. Any additional funds will be
used for future Weaver Reading Grove and playground maintenance.

For more information contact Sheila Grissom, Weaver Elementary School principal, at sgrissom@wmsd.net or 870-735-7670.

Across town, on Sunday, members of the Moore family, church members and
friends gathered for the blessing of a cherry tree that was planted
by Michael Moore’s Sunday school class about a week after Michael’s body
was found along with the bodies of his two little friends on May 6,
1993.

Members of the Moore family were on hand for the original planting
of the tree and for Sunday’s ceremony. Todd Moore, Michael’s
father, has lifelong ties to the church — he was baptized at Holy Cross
in 1965. A sign designating the tree as "Michael's Tree" was donated by
Steve Mullen, Safeguard Window and Door and Lovelady Graphics, who did
the lettering.

Three local teens were convicted of the murders in 1994 and were freed from prison almost two years ago after pleading guilty.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Donations Needed for Weaver Reading Grove Memorial Upgrades; Local Efforts Under Way to Honor Memories of Three Little Boys

West Memphis Evening Times

4/19/13

Sunday, May 5, 2013, marks the 20th anniversary of the murders of
8-year-old Cub Scouts Michael Moore, Chris Byers and Steve Branch in
West Memphis.

A fund has been set up to honor the boys by making upgrades and improvements to their memorial at their former school, Weaver Elementary in West Memphis.

The memorial is called "The Weaver Reading Grove." It was constructed
in 1994 on the playground of Weaver Elementary. It consists of a gazebo,
benches and a memorial stone honoring the boys.

Sheila
Grissom, principal of Weaver Elementary, has set up a fund to pay for
landscaping around the gazebo. Plans are under way to build a flower
bed, which will hold 20 yellow rose bushes to mark the 20th anniversary
of their deaths. The estimated cost is $2,800 and will be done by TC
Landscaping in conjunction with O'Neal Landscaping of West Memphis.
$500 has been collected from donors so far. If additional funds over
and above $2,800 are collected, the money will be used for future Weaver
Reading Grove and playground maintenance.

In addition, West
Memphis Realtors Michael and Lesia Ford with Coldwell Banker Heritage
Homes are organizing and funding an effort to repaint the gazebo in
brighter colors, repair some damaged benches, add trash receptacles and
cover exposed nails in the ceiling. Organizers are hopeful the landscaping and refurbishing will be funded and complete by May 5.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Michael, Chris and
Steve to the Weaver Elementary Reading Grove/Playground Fund, please
send your donation to the school at the following address: Weaver Elementary Reading Grove/Playground Fund 1280 East Barton Ave. West Memphis, AR 72301 For more information contact Sheila Grissom, Weaver Elementary School principal, at sgrissom@wmsd.net or 870-735-7670.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

March 29, 2013, by Sabrina Hall
(Memphis) Terry Hobbs says he is not ready to speak on camera but he is saddened by the latest accusations. In fact, he says this is a “sad story that keeps getting sadder”.

He’s supposed to be a victim in the story: a man who lost his step-son to a brutal murder in 1993. Instead, Hobbs’ name has been thrown around as the main perpetrator in the killings of three little boys.

“I don’t see how anybody can stand-up under that kind of scrutiny and
not just say enough,” said Pastor Steve Stone with Heartsong Church in
Cordova. Stone spoke on Hobbs’ behalf Friday, “Terry is a kind person, a
generous person, a shy and loving person and one who would like to get
beyond this and just have a normal life, just like everybody else.”

That’s the feeling we got from Hobbs when we spoke to him Friday. With tears in his eyes he told News Channel 3 that he is just trying
to survive these latest accusations and wishes he could clear his name. He believes his ex-wife Pam Hicks is accusing him of the murders to somehow make money. Hobbs says he believes “with all his heart” the killers were already at one time behind bars.

“So you believe he is innocent?” asked Reporter Sabrina Hall.

“Oh yeah I do,” said Stone. The pastor says just like authorities did with the West Memphis
Three, “Just kinda making up stuff, throwing things against the wall see
what sticks” that it’s the same for what’s happening to Hobbs.

“I think the hunger of trying to find a resolution to this is so
great,” said Stone. “I would love to know who did it and how it
happened and all that just so it could be put to rest. I think it’s
always going to be unknown.”

Saturday, February 16, 2013

A new low,’ says father of murdered WM boy

Moore thanks FedEx for withdrawing from ‘pathetic charade’

By the Evening Times news staff

Todd Moore, the father of one of the three 8-year-old boys killed by
local teenagers Damian Echols, Jessie Miskelley Jr. and Jason Baldwin in
1993, has issued this response to Echols' appearance at a "fireside
chat" Monday with the Commercial Appeal in Memphis: “Much has
changed over the last twenty years, and that certainly includes
technology. What hasn't changed is the three monsters who murdered my
son remain as guilty of that crime today as they have since May 5, 1993.

“The appearance of convicted child killer Damien Echols, including
a cameo with his co-convict Jessie Misskelley, Jr., today at a Memphis
convention was insensitive, tasteless and outrageous. The only reason to
have Echols participate in a ‘fireside chat’ with a Commercial Appeal
business reporter was the same reason promoters used to put on freak
shows. Echols had nothing substantive to contribute other than his
infamy. Echols' murder of my son Michael and that dear child's two
friends is the only reason he was invited to discuss technology despite
whatever spin is put on it.

“I have grown almost accustomed to the
exploitation of the murder of my son. Tremendous amounts of profit have
been made off this tragedy. What the Commercial Appeal and those
convention sponsors did today, though, was a new low. I again want to
thank FedEx for having the courage and common decency not to be part of
this pathetic charade.

“Todd Moore-Father of murder victim Michael Moore”

FedEx pulled out of sponsorship of the business technology expo last week after learning of Echols’ involvement. Echols, Baldwin and Miskelley were released from prison in August 2010
after pleading guilty to brutally murdering Michael Moore, Stevie Branch
and Christopher Byers in 1993 in a wooded area off the service road in
West Memphis. The plea deal allowed them to maintain that they are
innocent despite the guilty pleas.

Overall,
life’s been treating me pretty good.I’ve
been working hard on my music and have been getting some really good
feedback.I’m looking forward to good
things in that area of my life.

Amanda is
out of jail. That makes me happy but I wish she would realize she has a long
life ahead of her and she needs to take responsibility for her actions and
straighten up.One thing I’ve learned in
life, if you keep doing the same things over and over again, you won’t ever get
past what’s holding you back. I would like to thank the Heart Song church
family for their prayers and support during this time and for the love and
support offered to both me and Amanda.

Pam called and
texted a few days ago telling me she was in the hospital.She thinks stress is is causing her
problems.She’s back home now and doing
fine.Her health is important and I wish
she would quit worrying about things and quit letting her family and friends
stress her out.I’m glad she called and
let me know she was doing better and heading home.

Lots of
people have come in and invaded our (Amanda’s, Pam’s, mine and other family
members) privacy in order to make a buck—all the while three little boys are
being forgotten in the quest for the exoneration of three child murderers.To the
Hollywood sideshow, get a life and leave the victims alone.By continually harassing, poking and probing,
you keep picking wounds open—never allowing the family’s to heal.You sugar coat your goals with the words “justice
for 6” but you are only pouring salt on the wounds of the parents who lost
their children forever.

To all my
family and friends in the Ozark Mountains, thank you for your prayers and
support.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Amanda has been enjoying complimentary rooms from Shelby
County. Her court date is August 2nd. Her bond is set at $50,000. She would like to get out, see her children
and move forward with her life. She
admits she has made mistakes but is a good person and wants to do the right thing. Amanda has had a difficult time through the years, not only did she lose her
brother; but she also lost a piece of herself.

Please help us petition the
Shelby County Court for her release. The
contact information for Shelby County DA is 901-222-1300. The DA’s name is Amy
Weirich. The general email address is info@scdag.com

Many of you fought to release those accused of murder,
please do the same to free Amanda.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

My daughter, Amanda, celebrated one year of sobriety today. She asked me to let everybody know she's on the road to making good choices. I am happy for her and her decision to change her path in life. Congratulations, Amanda!